Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grandview, Missouri 64030
Tuesady, October 14, 2003 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with a hay bale during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he attempted to switch the fuel selector from an auxiliary tank to a main fuel tank when the fuel handle came off in his hand. The pilot reported, "I put the handle back on the shaft but it would not move the selector valve. It would only spin on the shaft." He reported that shortly thereafter, the fuel in the auxiliary tank was exhausted and the engine lost power. The pilot reported he selected a field in which to make the forced landing. He stated that during the landing the left wing contacted a large hay bale that was in the field. Post accident inspection of the fuel selector indicated the roll pin which holds the selector handle on its shaft was missing. The pin was not located.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Separation of the fuel selector handle which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was the hay bale that the airplane contacted during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/2003
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Grandview
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64030
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385048N
Event Location Longitude 0943203W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID OJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1096
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17268
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1722
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2005 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Kansas City, MO FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N471T
NTSB Number CHI04LA009
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A33
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CD293
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 23 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 4224
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Kenneth L. Palmer
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12533 W. 119th Terrace
Aircraft Owner City Overland Park
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66213
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TOP
Departure City Topeka
Departure State KS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LXT
Destination City Lee's Summit
Destination State MO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --